Bicycle-support.



No. 640,784. Patented Jan. 9, I900. H. F. LOWE.

BICYCLE SUPPORT.

(Application filed May 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 3 c m //v VEN r00 0% %W I I By MW llf f' V A TTOHNEY m: nonmsPEYERS co.. we're-um msnmumn. a, c

UNITED STATES ATEN'T FFICE.

HENRY F. LOWE, OF WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BICYCLE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,784, dated January9, 1900.

Appncation fil d May 26, 1399, Serial No. 718,86 5. (No model.)

To all whom it may (oncern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. LOWE, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Wilkes-Barre, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBicycle-Supports, of which the followingis a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of hicycle-supports which aredesigned to be attached to a portion of the frame and carried with thebicycle to be used by the rider for the purpose of standing the bicycleup anywhere without the trouble of finding any other support.

The object of the invention is to provide a bicycle-support of suchconstruction that it will serve to support the bicycle in the verticalposition, to lock the rear wheel at the operation of putting the supportinto position, and to provide a device for folding said support into asmall compass in an out-of-theway position on the bicycle-frame.

To this end the device consists of the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as herein specified, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front view of my devicedetached from the bicycle-frame and swung into the open position whichit occupies when in use. Fig. 2 is a view of the same, taken at rightangles to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side View of my support whenfolded and not in use. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device in thecondition shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the extensibleattachment used on the legs of my device. Fig. 6 is a cross-section.taken on the line (13 cc of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view designed toillustrate the operation of the spring used in my device. Fig. 8 is ageneral view illustrating the method of attachment and operation of mydevice in connection with a bicycle.

Similar figures of reference denote like and corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main or body portion of mydevice, to which a pair of legs 2 2 are pivoted at 3 3, the said legshaving extensible ends 4: 4:, adapting them to adjustment suitable forthe diiferent heights of bicycles on which the device is to be used. Apair of springs 5 5, serving as levers, are pivoted to the legs at 9 9and also to the members 7 7 at 6 6. The members 7 7are T-shaped, oneportion thereof cooperating with the members 8 8 in forming clipswhereby the device is fastened to the frame of the bicycle. The member 7is most distinctly shown in the view in Fig. 7. The main plate or bodyportion 1 of the device is pivoted to the member 7 at 10 by means of abolt lehextending through lugs at the upper end of the piece. The saidpiece is also provided with a small extension 15, to which the foot ofthe user may be applied in bringing the device into action. rubber ringor band 16 on the bicycle-frame serves as a rest for the tips or endpieces 4 of the device when it is folded up. The legs 2 are beveled at20 20, so as to slide in the members 4 4. A threaded screw 18, threadedinto the embossed portion 19, engages with any one of a plurality ofholes 17 in the leg portion of the device. Adjustments may also be madeby using the said screw 18 as a set-screw, if desired, between the holesmade for it, so that any desired length may be given to the legs. Abridge-like member 13 is rigidly secured to the main portion of thedevice at 11 and 12 and is adapted to extend backward and be pressedinto engagement with the tire of the rear wheel when the device is inuse.

The operation of the device may now be readily explained. By means ofthe clips it is secured to the rear forked portion of the bicycleintermediate of the sprocket and rear wheel, near enough to the rearwheel so that when the main portion of the device is swung into avertical or nearly vertical position the bridge 13 presses into contactwith the tire of the rear wheel,thus assisting to hold the wheel steadywhile the legs of the device engage with the ground and prevent tippingsidewise. The adjustment should also be such that the curved portions ofthe springs 5 will assist them in clearing the bracket or journalbearings of the sprocket-shaft on the frame of the bicycle when thedevice is bent upward in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. vThe spring 5 serves as a lever as well as spring in the operation of thedevice. ticed that the main portion of the device swings from the pivot10 as a center, while It will be nothe spring itself swings from thepivot 6, so that the curved portion thereof is bent into a sharper curvewhen the outer end of the device is swung around so as to extend up onthe frame,and the main or body portion of the device is also curved nearits upper end to clear the journal-bearing aforesaid in the vicinity inwhich the spring is curved. The attachment of the spring is such that inswinging the device up into position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.8, the spring 5 has the greatest tension brought on it intermediate ofthe two positions, and the tension of the spring holds the device tightagainst the stop 16; but when it is pressed beyond the point of greatesttension in the spring the device springs on downward until the tensionof the spring is not only relieved, but the tension is exerted in theopposite direction,so as to draw upward at the pivots 9 9, thus throwingthe legs of the device outward into the position shown in Fig. 1, inwhich position it also engages with the rear bicycle-wheel. By thisparticular shape of spring and its connections I economize in space andmaterial in making an effective support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-

1. In a bicycle Q support of the kind, described, a main or body portionhaving a pair of legs hinged thereto, the said body portion pivoted toclips, whereby it is secured to the forks of abicycle-frame, springmembers pivoted to another portion of said clips, and said springmembers extending to and pivoted to portions of the legs aforesaid, forthe purpose specified and substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described bicycle support consisting of a main or bodyportion pivoted to clips, the said clips adapted to secure the saiddevice to the frame of a bicycle, a pair of legs pivoted to said bodyportion and a pair of curved levers pivoted to another portion of theclips aforesaid and also pivoted to eyes in the legs aforesaid, wherebythe said device is adapted to be swung upward or downward, and adaptedto cause the curved levers aforesaid to be constrained so as to separateand close the legs of the device in the difierent changes of position,substantially as specified.

3. In a bicycle -support of the kind described, clips adapted to securethe said support to the bicycle-frame, a main portion hinged to saidclips and curved to conform to the journal bearings of the crank-shaft,a pair of legs pivoted to said main portion and a pair of springsextending to pivotal points in said legs, from pivotal points in theclips aforesaid other than those to which the main body is pivoted, thesaid springs adapted to serve as levers in separating and closing thelegs aforesaid, and the said legs adapted to be closed when the deviceis folded up and adapted to be spread apart automatically when thedevice is swung into use, substantially as specified.

4. In a bicycle support of the kind described, a main or body portionhaving a pair of legs hinged thereto, the said body portion pivoted toclips whereby it is secured to the forks of a bicycle-frame,spring-lever members pivoted to other portions of said clipsandextending to pivotal points in the legs aforesaid, the said legsbeing provided with extensible ends to adjust them to different lengths,and being adapted to be spread by the action of the spring-leversaforesaid and to engage with the ground in said condition so as tosupport the bicycle in a vertical position substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. LOXVE.

Witnesses:

A. D. Am no, D. G. MORAN.

